Life of a sky pirate
by Theleafylord
Summary: The story of how Cloudwolf became who he was after being rejected by the knight's academy.
1. The bloodoak

Life of a sky pirate

Disclaimer: The edge chronicles belong to Paul Steward

Quint was the greatest apprentice the knight's academy had ever seen. And yey he stil wouldn't let him go stormchasing. They took away the years of his prime, his honour and the chance to go stormchasing. But they couldn't take away his sky ship , the Stormchaser.

Quint was walking through the streets of Undertown looking for a tavern.He was still wearing the armor the knight's academy had given him.He wanted to drown his sorrows in woodgrog and forget...everything.He walked into the first tavern he saw.The bloodoak tavern.

Cloud Wolf as he was now known as, was an alien figure in the tavern. Goblins and sky pirates were everywhere but there was no other Sancathphrax academics in the tavern. He sat down at the bar. "Hello, darling and who are you?" A shryke aproached him. A shryke with a magnicifent purple and orange plumage. Cloud Wolf stared at her. "Have you heard the news about Sancataphrax?" he asked quietly. The shryke smiled. "So your the knight academic who got the boot!" she cackeled. She held out her talon. "I'm mother Horsefeather." Cloud Wolf shook the talon and stared away. "I heard of your other announcement.About wanting to become a sky pirate." Her beak curved into a smile. Cloud Wolf had heard rumours that this shryke had certian...dealings with sky pirates.For the first time since the seremony he smiled. Noticing this Mother Horsefeather pressed on. "I've your interested in a business arrangment, come tell me" she walked off and started serving woodgrog to several rowdy cloddertrogs.Cloud wolf was deep in thought. He still had the stormchaser.All he needed was a crew. He could take Maris...

Cloud wolf was walking through the tavern searching for able bodied crew members.He couldn't find anyone who looked trustworthy. His eyes fell on three people sitting in a corner. One was red headed with a short beard. The other was bald with a full jaw. The third was an oakelf with big brown eyes. They were talking happily. They seemed to be sky pirates if you looked at their clothing.The all wore longcoats and had telescopes. Moreover they had little eqiupment on them that indicated they weren't serving as a crew at the moment. He walked over at them and asked "Can I buy you some woodgrog?" It was customary to first buy drinks before hiring crew members. The three men stared at him. He looked like a knight academic and a rich one at that. "Since when do academics hire sky pirates?" asked the redheaded one gruffly. The bald headed one took the offered woodgrog. "When they've been kicked out of the academy Tem my old friend." Cloud Wolf paused.The story had spread farther than he had first realised. The oakelf looked up. "The names Spiker. That's Tem Barkwater. And that's Stope." He said indicating his two friends. "You have a ship?" asked Tem. He seemed friendly enough. Cloud Wolf smiled. "I have the Stormchaser. So what to you spesilise in?" It was Stope who answered. "I do repairs and basic skysailing. As does Tem, cept he is also a cook. Spiker is one the best lookouts you will ever find." The four chatted about skysailing and Quint's adventures when a tall person approached.He had a sly look and clever eyes. "I heard a knight academic was searching for crewmembers. If you are looking for a quartermaster look no further." He smiled brightly at the silence that followed. "We need at least one more person." Said Tem. Cloudwolf took out his pouch of coins and handed some to Stope. "Welcome to the Stormchaser."

With only four crewmembers and no stone pilot sailing was difficult. However the Stormchaser was small and they managed. They flew up to Sancataphrax. Cloud Wolf wanted to say good bye to the professor of light. He found the professor in a small office. His old office was taken over by Vilinix. The professor looked sad. "Sancataphrax has failed you. I accept your desiscion."Quint sat in a chair in front of the proffesor's desk. "How long do you think it will be untill Stormchasing in neccassery again?" The question was casual but anxiously asked. The professor of light looked at him with watery eyes. "Several years. The need will arrive, but will you answer it?" Quint didn't know what to say.Fortunetly he didn't have to. "Goodbye, Cloud Wolf." Said the professor sadly.He acceptedthe change from academic to sky pirate without a second a second glance.

Later in Undertown Cloud Wolf approached Maris's house.She opened the door and jumped into his arms. "Quint it's so nice to see you! I heard the news..." There was worry in her eyes. Cloud Wolf looked at her for a long moment. "Long ago I promised I would take you with me when I start sailing through the edgelands.I'm starting tommorow." Maris smiled at him. "Of course I'll come." She said.


	2. Sailing the sky

**Sailing the sky**

**Disclaimer:The edge chronicles belong to Paul Steward.Sorry I didn't make the connection between the two Stopes.**

Cloud Wolf stood ontop of the Stormchaser feeling the wind on his face.He was flying above the mire looking for a leauge ship. He had rushed into things and knew nothing of the leauges. Not their trade routes or which ships carry what.Thankfully Slyvo knew that this area offen had sky traffic.

Cloud Wolf was standing on his deck , wondering if any ships still used this route when he suddenly heard a cry. "Ship to starboard!" Spiker cried pointing into the distance. "Draw your swords!" he cried readieng his own short and heavy blade, perfect for battle on a cramped ship. Tem and Stope came up with their own swords. Tem's sword was impressive. Slyvo had curiously dissappeared. Spiker however had drawn a old crossbow. What Cloud Wolf hadn't noticed was that Maris had come aboard and had a long rapier in hand. It was an odd rapier tradiosionally used by the Sancataphrax academics. The ship they were sailing towards was small and agile but it's speed wasn't a match for the stormchaser. Stope raised the ballitsa like contraption the sky pirates used to grapple onto sky ships. Holding his sword in one hand he fired it.

Quint was the first one aboard the ship. The ship was known as the Cloud doger. Probably because of it's speed. The ship had only three guards. Three very big hammerheads. They also had two other crewmembers who were cowering slightly. Cloud Wolf jumped onto the ship and brought his sword down hard at the hammerhead. He blocked it easily and pushed back. Tem and Stope were hurrying towards their Captain but the nervous looking crewman was at his back already. He was distracted when Marris stuck her rapier through him. He turned and attempted to strike her down when he found an arrow in his throat. Spiker could aim very well. Tem and Stope engeaged the other two hammerheads. Quint had already finished off the first one and was dueling the other crewmember. The crewmember started running and when Cloud Wolf followed him he ran into the captian.

The captian turned out to be a swarvy cloddertrog with a long doubleheaded axe. All combat stopped. The two captains would duel and the winner gets everything. The Cloddertrog twireled the axe and brought it down and suddenly swung a low blow. Quint deftly stepped back and slashed forward. The tip of his sword touched the cloddertrog before he could swipe it away. The cloddertrog laughed. He picked up a barrel with ease and threw it at Quint. "Still think you can win?" He like most cloddertrogs were very sure of that being stronger means your the winner in any fight. Quint stepped forward. He swung his sword vertically at the cloddertrog. The cloddertrog swung down and his eyes widened as he realised the blade had changed direction. It broke his ax in half. Quint then neatly pressed the sword against his neck. "Yes"

They let the crewmembers and captain live and left them enough food and water to last them until they could reach Undertown. Their booty however was a large amount of chains, manacles and woodgrog. Slyvo inspected the goods. "Only place you can sell this is at a slavemarket.They probably supply slavers." Cloud Wolf grimaced. He disliked slavery. "Very well, we'll go to a slave market."

Two days of uneventful sailing later Cloud Wolf and Slyvo were walking through a small slave market in the deepwoods. Slyvo noticed his captains look of unease. "Don't worry captain, this slave market will be destroyed soon enough. Either by sky pirates or the Shrykes. The hate competion. These manacles won't chain many new slaves." Slyvo made his speech not because he cared about the captain's feelings but because he didn't want to lose out on the money they could make with this deal. Cloud Wolf finally agreed to sell the chains and manacles to the slaver whose slaves looked the best cared for. Slyvo could've pointed out that it was like that because these were the most expenssive slaves but he didn't.

Their cargo delivered Cloud Wolf decided to treat his crew to a nice meal. He and Stope were talking when they noticed a slaver beating a little girl with his whip. They both stared at the girl. She had red hair and pale skin. Stope looked worried. He had only once before seen Quint with such an expression on his face. The girl looked dirty,hurt and had a painfull thinness. Cloud Wolf grabbed the slavers whip and hit him with it several times the slaver was bleeding on a heap crying for help when Stope grabbed Quint. "The gaurds will be on us now!" he cried. Before running to the stormchaser , Quint grabbed the small girls hand and said "Come little one, Marris will fix you up." Together the three ran back to the stormchaser.


	3. Fall of the Stormchaser

Fall of the stormchaser

Discalimer: Edge belongs to Paul Steward

Every sky pirate knows three things : How to steer a sky ship, if the ratbirds leave your skyship you should too and avoid ships that has a Leaguesmaster on board. Cloud Wolf only knew two of those rules...

The trog he had rescued's name turned out to be Maugin. She was very shy and kept looking down longinly at the ground until she became scared. She was literally teared in half. High up in a sky ship, she wants nothing more than to go back underground but everytime she looks she seems to be farther away from it. Marris had been nice to her and treated her wounds with incredible effecincy. She had been unable to face the ship and the rest of the crew until Marris had the idea of giving her the old stone pilot suit. She could explain it but she felt safe in it.

Cloud Wolf was standing on the helm of his ship looking through his spyglass when he noticed Maugin. She was touching the flight rock somewhat lovingly. He walked over to her. "Does the rock remind you of home?" he asked her kindly. She was thankfull for the suit which hid her blush. "Yes" she answerd timidly. She was yet to warm up to the captain but she could talk to him. He and Maris were the only ones she could do that to. "It's the only thing onboard that looks like it can belong underground. Like me." Cloud Wolf smiled and sat down on the deck. "Your desire to be underground is like my desire to sail the skies. In the blood" Maugin loosend slightly. Cloud Wolf looked at her and back at the flight rock. "Tell you what. I can teach you a lot about this rock. How to make it lighter, how to make it heavier. Anything you would like to know." She smiled a smile that no one saw.

Over the span of three days to Stormchaser went down once to get supplies. During that time Maugin had learned a considerable amount about the flight rock. Once when a very cold wind hit the stormchaser she managed to manipulate the flight torches until the rock was at the perfect temperature. Maris had praised her along with everone else but she alone was nervous. Maugin although still shy, was spending more and more time with the flight rock. Cloud Wolf had joked that she would become their new stone pilot. The thing was , Marris knew he was probably right.

And so it was a week after meeting her , Maugin became Cloud Wolf's stone pilot. Once more he was standing on the helm but this time he saw something. A massive ship, looking as though it was filled to the brim with goods. He immiedly set course towards it. "Get ready for boarding!" he cried drawing his blade. Maris was down below with Spleethe nursing his fever. Neither of them heard the captains call. And unfortunetly they were the only ones who knew that this particular ship was the ship of the leaguesmaster himself. "Go down to the hold Maugin" he orderd kindely, but firmly. She ran off without a second thought.

Spiker readied his crossbow. Tem drew his sword. Stope did the same and fired the ballitsa like contraption the sky pirates used to grapple on to enemy ships. The managed to make it onboard the ship no problem no problem but stared at what they saw. At least twenty flat head goblins had assembeled on the deck behind which hid several timid gentleman in large hats. Cloud Wolf knew they probably stood no chance but he wasn't giving up. With a great cry he flung himself at the flat heads.

They were losing and badly. The flat heads hadn't made a kill yet but that was only luck and Cloud Wolf skil. He had drawn them into a corner were the flatheads had to fight one on one. Two flat head lay dead but it wasn't enough. Suddenly Quint saw a lighting bolt illuminate the entire area. He saw into their cargo hold and saw what it contained. Among various other things a massive albino banderbear. "Stope go get the ballitsa!" Stope only just managed it. He recived a slight nick on his jaw before a well aimed arrow from Spiker ensured he would see no more facial injuries. "Fire at the hold!' Cloud Wolf yelled. Stope replied without a moments hesitation. He then saw a massive albino banderbear jump out of the hold.

The banderbear swept through the flat head ranks and gave the sky pirates time to escape. However not even the banderbear was a match for that many flat heads. When they left Cloud Wolf fought a while longer so that the banderbear could get onboard with him.

Disenheartened they left the mire and returned to Undertown. They hid the stormchaser in the mire. It would take money to repair it, money Quint didn't have. The rest of the crew left him but they promised if he ever tried again they would help. Marris however had practically adopted Maugin. Trying not to sound depressed she asked Cloud Wolf what he was going to do. His answer was simple. He would find work onboard a league ship until he had sufficent funds and information to continue. The next day Cloud Wolf found work for all three of them. They were to sail under a captain named Multinius Gobtrax.


	4. Drunken Revelries

**Drunken Revelries**

**Disclaimer: The edge chronicles Belong to Paul Steward.**

Quint couldn't believe he had sunk so long. What's worse, he was pretty sure he knocked Maris up. Cloud Wolf allowed himself a brief grin. Knocked her up. That was something no academic would say. The grin was followed by a groan. He really shouldn't have drunk so much ale the previous night.

_Flashback_

_Quint stumbled into the table at the Blood Oak. He didn't really care. He had broken several tables, a chair and one guy's peg leg. He was really wasted. He intended to just lay down and prepare himself for the inevitable headache. Only Maris screwed that idea up. She came to him in the night._

_She looked deep into his eyes, hers shining with tears and defiance. "Quint to you really think that I care about the skyship?" she asked , her voice nearly breaking. Earlier Quint, in one of his drunken raves Quint obviously sprouted something which Maris thought meant he thought she thought he was a failure. Personally, Quint was amazed he could come up with that kind of logic while completely wasted._

"_Ughnn." was his only answer. Maris looked even angrier. Obviously that Ughn, sounded agreeing._

"_Well, I don't !" she yelled. "It was never about the sky sailing! It was you! You! Being with you!" Maris looked beside herself with fury. Cloud Wolf did the only thing he could think of and kissed her hard. The rest, is at best, hazy._

_End Flashback_

Cloud Wolf had no idea what happened next. He was pissed off so had decided to go back to the thing that got him in this whole mess. More wood grog. He entered the first tavern he could see. Maybe there would be a sympathetic barkeeper to talk to.

"Woodgrog me barkeep" said Cloud Wolf, taking a seat at the bar. He was surrounded by a quaint selection of Edge inhabitants. Some goblins, slaughterers and woodtrolls. There was even a really depressed academic sitting next to Quint.

"Here you go,fly boy" said the barkeeper, a large hammerhead goblin.

"I got troubles" Quint said to the barkeeper.

"Don't we all" said the academic downing something that smelled lethal.

"Quite you!" said the barkeeper looking at the academic. "I'm sick and tired of putting up with your shit! Now, mister Sky pirate, what is getting you down?"

"It's Cloud Wolf." said Quint. "My troubles are simple. If been trying my whole life to become a knight of sancataphrax and when my opportunity to use my training arrived , twelve years of training, I was thrown out, due to that rowdy bastard Vilnix."

"Nasty business that" said the academic, trying to figure out who Quint is.

"Shut up you dribbling moron! No one cares about your opinion!" yelled the barkeeper at the academic. "Now , Mister Wolf, it seems that this happened quite some time ago. What happened that caused you to come to my tavern?"

"Uh, I knocked up a girl who I'm in love with" said Quint.

"And?" asked the barkeeper.

"I was drunk while doing it" admitted Quint.

"You fool!" yelled the barkeeper.

"Screw you sky rat!" yelled a woodtroll in the back.

"I guess that was pretty bad" said the academic.

"If you don't shut up right now I will rip out your intestines and use them to tie your mouth shut!" bellowed the Barkeeper at the academic.

"If I may ask, what's the deal with the academic?" asked Quint. This was getting ridiculous.

"Oh him" said the barkeeper, looking ready to kill. "He comes in here every day, moaning about his troubles. At first we listened and tried to act nice. But it didn't stop. Every single day something really bad would happen to him. And he would tell us in painstakingly bad fashion. He made the fact that he was gang raped by Banderbears boring!"

Quint wasn't what you would call cold hearted. He was a nice enough guy, so he decided to try and help this guy out. "So, what exactly happened to you?" Cloud Wolf asked the academic.

The academic's smile turned right up. "Oh you wouldn't believe what happened. The sanctaphrax chain was being repaired. Only my office is right on top of the anchor chain. So you see, the drilling caused my entire book set to fall on me. I fractured both my arms and lost my two front teeth. And now my wife left me and I'm unable to make the alimony payments because my book set is all messed up!"

"See?" asked the barkeeper. "He's been complaining about that for three weeks! He comes here every single time instead of re shelving the book set! And believe me, this is a good week."

"Right, I have to go" said Cloud Wolf. He put some money on the counter and turned to leave.

"And remember!" said the barkeeper as Cloud Wolf left. "At least you aren't a fucking loser like this guy!" he said pointing at the academic.


End file.
